Neil Young

[Blind Joe Death]

It was only a matter of time as to when I'd create this topic. Over the past 8 months Neil Young has quickly risen to become one of my most beloved and played musicians, and I think my last.fm page is a testament to that.

 

While I had heard a few of his singles back in my childhood days, his music never truly clicked with me until I was in the car with my Dad on a five hour long car trip and Harvest was playing. I don't know if it was what was going on in my life at the time or the beautiful views of my home state that helped trigger my admiration for the album or not, all I know is that it was a flawless listen. Since that day I have been a devoted Neil Young fan.

 

As time has gone by I have acquired more and more Neil Young albums and not yet has one been short of perfection (okay, excluding his newest). After the Gold Rush, On the Beach, Tonight's the Night, Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, Zuma, Live at Massey Hall (while a live album, it deserves to be regarded as one of his masterpieces) - the list goes on. All brilliant albums. Each with their own sound.

 

Anybody here have the same admiration I have for the man, or am I alone?

[Jay]

Anybody here have the same admiration I have for the man

Nah.

 

I went to great expense to avoid BDO this year. But the tramride home from the Pendulum sideshow had a Neil Young fan in it who told me I knew nothing of music (tongue-in-cheek of course)

[Fnorg]

Anybody here have the same admiration I have for the man, or am I alone?

You are most certainly not alone. His music has gone pretty liberal douchebag (Let's Impeach the President, wtf), but I still love him, and I'd like to see him live, more than any other artist. I just want to see him, and The Who sing, then I can die a happy boy.

 

I think Fork in the Road was a good album. It didn't contain as much liberal douchiness as it could've (there's a bail-out coming, but it's not for you or me is probably the largest chunk douchiness).

 

And his writing strikes closer to home than Bobby Dylan's.

[Blind Joe Death]

Good to see another fan. I think you're correct in saying Neil Young's lyrics are easier to relate to. While Bob Dylan is an exceptional poet and songwriter, his lyrics often seem far too distant to me. Neil on the other hand often writes about more personal topics which I often find myself relating to. I also find Neil's music to have more depth than other bands/artists, he has a way to bring the listener into the present moment of the song and invite them into his head and life.

 

It's really been quite interesting listening through all of his music over the past 6 or so months and getting to know him at different stages in his life. Each album represents a new stage in his life and new things that he needs to say. Just look at how radically his music has varied over the years. The jump from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere to After The Gold Rush and Harvest to On the Beach comes to mind. He doesn't listen to a damn thing anybody else wants or expects of him, he releases whatever the hell he wants to release and that's very important in trying to put across where he's at at that specific point in his life. So at the moment it's quite clear that he's a left-wing radical and is extremely interested in environmentally-friendly cars (although, he has always loved his cars).

 

 

Jay: Pfft, Neil Young >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pendulum

[Mister Pink]

Neil Young fan here.

 

I went to see him last summer with my girlfriend and a few mates. Had a blast. That man can still really rock out. Can't remember which track it was but there were lots of nice long improv guitar solos he pulled off. Really good outdoor concert with sun going down vibe.

 

I'm a big fan of Harvest Moon and was really glad he did a couple of tracks off that album.

 

 

 

 

(Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

 

I would highly reccomend his work in Buffalo Spingfield. I read somewhere that Buffalo Springfield didn't really want Young to sing as his voice wasn't up to scratch. However he did sinng Expecting to Fly and Broken Arrow (which I think he wrote too) and it's one of the most beautiful tracks I've heard.

 

 

Buffalo Springfield

 

Anyone tell me the name of the Young track where the lyrics go..

 

"Becak in the day...(line?) tha tha da tha tha da

EDIT: Found it. It's called Double E

Edited August 26, 2009 by ThePinkFloydSound

[trip]

I used to see him live once a year as part of a weird tradition a friend and I had. Love Neil.

 

Met my wife at a CSNY concert

[Slamman]

I have more CSN from Woodstock 94 yet to upload. Buffalo Springfield is ace, not heard a lot of their stuff, but that's Stephen Stills as well, IIRC.

Reading Don Felder's book, they toured together and were real good friends, Stephen he knew from years and years ago.

[trip]

Holy sh*t!!!

 

I'm sitting here listening to Rust Never Sleeps and getting all nostalgic. I wonder if there is a ,Neil Young, thread so I do a search. I find this (almost)year old thread with the last two posts being me and Slamman. Weird ...

 

-Anyway-

I always forget how great Neil Young is until I listen to him. I seem to have year+ long gaps between my Neil.

[Tyler]

Well I see the major bump here, but I will contribute anyway.

 

I found Heart of Gold a fair testament to the life Neil lived before he became famous, and even later on in his life. I find his stage performances abstract, but none-the-less he amazes me with his down to earth feeling. So, here is Heart of Gold live in '71. I also like how he could not find his correct harmonica for the cleft of the song at first.

 

 

 

 

[Lithium]

He is definitely one of the best artists (if not THE best) to come out of Canada. I haven't seen him in concert, but I do enjoy most of his songs. He has a unique voice, that is for sure.